Seven Years of Friendship
by Cuban Sombrero Gal
Summary: Seven drabbles, each relating to a different school year in Peter Pettigrew's life.


_seven years of friendship;_

**First Year**

Peter could sum up his entire first year in the way he had felt during his two minutes of intimacy with the Sorting Hat. The intense speculation, the stares of his fellow students and teachers, the feeling that he did not belong anywhere, which was notion that the tattered old hat seemed to find great delight in entertaining.

But he had proved it wrong of course, by becoming fast friends with Sirius and Remus and James, who were smart and funny and well liked and popular. They accepted him, despite the fact that he did not quite live up to the hype and glamour that surrounded and engulfed them.

Sirius and James were now best friends, with all that the position entailed, as well as being liked by the rest of the school (give or take most of Slytherin House). Everyone loved Remus too. It was impossible not to, what with his kind and respectful nature. That was why it always surprised Peter when he was accepted as a part of this group of friends, and they laughed at his jokes or offered him a chocolate frog.

He wasn't an integral part of the group though, and as he sat in his seat on the Hogwarts express, watching the other three plan a final prank, he still felt a little like he didn't belong. But he was accepted, and, for now, that was enough.

**Second Year**

The second year dragged with it an assorted multitude of classes, pranks, detentions, laughter, tears, speeches, meals, night-time wanderings and, perhaps most importantly, friendship.

In their second year, the Marauders, as they had taken to calling themselves, had discovered Remus' secret. Peter could remember all the apprehensive feelings that came with such a revelation, but noticing that fact that James and Sirius took it all in stride, he did too.

It had actually been him who suggested that Remus was a werewolf. It had been a random joke, thrown into the middle of a conversation, but, James and Sirius had latched on to it. And, because, after it was proved true, they treated Peter more and more like an equal, he never mentioned this small fact.

Because in their second year, Peter had finally become an appreciated member of the Marauders. He had graduated from lookout boy and potion tester to an equal and nothing made him happier.

So, when James and Sirius and Remus, once again, sat on the train, laughing and joking, he joined them. He was finally appreciated, and now, he knew he would never say a bad word against any of the Marauders, or do anything to harm the friendships he had forged.

**Third Year**

Third year was… wow! The year swept by in a whirlwind of pranks, jokes, food fights, classes, sleeping and whispered discussions about Animagi. Peter got drunk for the first time that year. Peter hit a Slytherin in the eyes with mushy peas for the first time that year. He even got his first kiss, although it was slightly marred by the fact that Sirius, Remus, and James had all had at least two by that point (Remus quite unwillingly).

That year, when Peter thought back, may just have been his best year at Hogwarts. Now that he was considered a part of the group, everything seemed so much more fun, even mundane things such detentions (and there were a lot of those). And for the first time, at the end of that year, he didn't want to go home. The four boys now had quite the fan base, and Peter was loving the attention.

But he needn't have worried. Within a week, there had been three owls from Remus, a parcel of sweets from Sirius, and an invite to Diagon Alley from James. Simple gestures really, but every one of them seemed so much more real when they came from his friends…

**Fourth Year**

Peter's always thought that fourth year was nothing special. A few pranks and laughs, but nothing like the year before. This year they were more solemn, devoting more and more time to researching Animagi. Peter knows that they feel bad for Remus, and that they want to help. He almost wishes that they wouldn't get so caught up though, but he pushes these thoughts to the back of his mind, trying to imagine what his life would be like as a werewolf.

But it was hard to remain helpful and sympathetic towards his friends when they were too busy in the library to remember simple things such as his birthday. Peter knew that they were sorry; because all of them had rushed out and bought him massive birthday presents to make up for it.

So, for the rest of the year, Peter gritted his teeth and smiled, ignoring the fact that it felt like his first year all over again.

**Fifth Year**

Two words could count as a summary of fifth year: their year. Fifth year was the year Sirius broke the record for the most detentions, before redeeming himself in McGonagall's eyes with twelve Outstanding OWLS. It was the year James won the Quidditch Cup for Gryffindor by scoring 34 goals and the year Remus became a prefect. And it was the year Peter learnt to live in the shadows.

Of course, Peter did share in some of their successes, such as the triumph of finally becoming Animagi. But, even then, he was overshadowed, because what is a rat beside a majestic stag and a lovable dog?

Nevertheless, Peter did enjoy fifth year, simply because he found a girl, vivacious and red-headed. And then he found out that James was crushing on the exact same girl …

And he knew that James would get the girl, because James was nothing if not ruthless and determined. So Peter pushed his feelings away, and concentrated on helping James to win her heart. After all, his friendship with the Marauders, as they had taken to calling themselves, was everything.

**Sixth Year**

Sixth year also flew by, with days and nights punctured by pranks, Quidditch, trips to Hogsmeade, full moons and any other number of assorted frivolities, as Remus referred to them.

But this year had been marred. Padfoot had sent Snape to meet a lycanthrope Moony, and, consequently, the Marauders fell apart. If there was one thing Peter learnt from the experience, it was that it was hard to pretend to be friends with everyone when you weren't busy planning pranks and the like.

Peter knew that Remus and James were in the right, but he really didn't want to pick sides, because who knew what would happen when the Marauders got back together.

So Peter sat with James and listened to lamentations about Lily, attempting to ignore his heart fluttering. He listened to Remus, talking about the latest transfiguration homework. And he listened to Sirius, who let out a lot of expletives and seemed to be wallowing in self-pity.

And eventually, Peter became the glue that stuck the Marauders back together, something that no-one ever really felt possible.

**Seventh Year**

Seventh year gave Peter a sense of dread. Being friends with the Marauders at Hogwarts was one thing, but would they still care about him afterwards when they were rich, successful and popular and he still lived at home with his mum. Peter pondered this all year, even though the Marauders' loyalty to him showed no signs of wavering.

Peter remembered his last year in lasts. The last prank, the last full moon, the last meal, the last exam, the last everything …

And as he sat on the Hogwarts Express for the last time, watching Lily and James kiss for the last time as students (he ignored his pounding heart again) and Remus and Sirius change out of their robes for the last time, Peter felt horrid.

But then Sirius caught his attention.

"_You're coming to live with me in my new apartment, aren't you Wormy?"_

And Peter just smiled … everything was right with the world.

* * *

**This was already on my profile, but a quick edit revealed so many simple errors that it was easier just to condense it into one story. :D Hopefully, you enjoyed it, and please leave a review. It's also been (re)written for the Reviews Lounge fanon challenge, in which the idea was to take a simple fanon fact (something commonly taken as canon that isn't), and turn it upside down. The fact I chose was #9 - Peter was a useless friend and is just there for decoration/always treated with little/no respect in the MWPP circle/unrealistically played no important role in their quartet. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate Peter being written like that, so I couldn't help myself.  
**


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